CCP Statement on The Case Of Kit Klarenberg

It Is In Workers Interest To Defend Free Speech

Last week, the independent journalist Kit Klarenberg, who has reported on many dirty secrets of the British government, was detained at Luton airport by “anti terrorist” police officers. They held him (though they did not arrest him) for five hours and confiscated all of his electronic devices. Their questions to him mostly related to his reporting and as to whether he or The Grayzone (for which he primarily works) were receiving leaked information or funding from the government of the Russian Federation.

Even before wikileaks founder Julian Assange was imprisoned by the British state there has been a concerted attempt made by both the British and US governments to ensure that any reporting that threatened to expose their regime change wars, such as in Syria, or the activities of the secret services in general was ruled out of order.

You would think that this would be a matter of concern to the National Union of Journalists, without freedom to publish critical reporting the journalistic profession would of course cease to have any real function other than as paid propagandists for the state. Having initially put out a statement expressing concern over the treatment of Kit Klarenberg, the NUJ then mysteriously had the statement disappear from their website.

Being able to voice criticism of the British state and its activities is not something that a trade union can afford to ignore. Our movement is subject to many repressive laws and policing measures that we must be able to speak out freely about. The right to freely criticise those in power is also a class issue. Whereas those with money can always buy themselves air time or quickly magnify their voice on social media platforms the ability of working class people to speak out is something this is constantly in danger but it is something that we require. The ability to speak out about appalling working conditions or the devastating impact that government policies have on our communities is vital. It is in the interest of all workers to defend the freedom to raise criticisms without being subjected to the arbitrary power of the state. That necessitates a resolute and principled defence of free speech for journalists who are doing critical reporting. That is what the NUJ and all trade unions should be defending.

For the NUJ, this is a watershed moment where both the union leaders and the membership need to decide what the union stands for. Are they going to take the line of campaigning for their members’ terms and conditions whilst neglecting what the purpose of the profession that they represent is supposed to be about? The NUJ must back the free speech rights of Kit Klarenberg and any other journalist breaking important stories that the British state does not want to be put out there. If they are not prepared to do that, then they have clearly made the choice to simply become a union run by and for state propagandists.